Tube socket assembly



Nov. 20, 1962 s. M. DEL CAMP TUBE SOCKET ASSEMBLY Filed Sept. 14, 1959INVENTOR.

SCIPIONE M. DELCAMP BY ATTORNEY I v G o EH45 n This invention relates toa tube socket assembly, and

,more,particularly to an assembly of such type adapted .for use with ashield-equipped tube as, for example,- a

tube having a metal envelope which serves as:the' tube shield.

.Although the tube socket assembly maybe used with tubes of varioustypes and sizes, the particular exemplii cation considered in detailherein is adapted for use with sub-miniature tubes having a metalenvelope adapted to functionas the shielding component'jas'well as anenclosure for the elements of the tube. Since the tube is quite small,'the'prongs projecting therefrom are necessarily delicate and care, mustbe taken to properly'orient the several prongs with respect to thecontact openings therefor during mounting of the tube in the socket soas toprevent'damage to the prongs. In order to enforce properalignment-of the tubewith the socket, the tube envelope is equipped withindexing or polarizing ears thatprevent insertion of the prongs-into thesocketopenings except when'the' prongs are properly aligned withtherespective openings.

Anobject of'the present invention is to provide a tube socket assemblythat utilizes the-indexing orpolarizing 1 cars as a means forgrounding-the envelope of such tube.

Another object is in the provision of a socket assembly comprising asocket-body having contact-equipped openingstherein and a conductivemounting member-fixedly related with respect to the socketbody'forsecuring the sdcket assembly toa chassis, and in Which the mounting*memberis provided with grounding elements respectively -engageable withthe indexing ears of such tube-envelope to-autornatically ground thesame to such chassis through the mounting member when thetube. ismounted in-the socket assembly.

Still another objectis that of providing a socket assembly in which theface of the socket body is aligned with the surface of the chassis whenthe mounting member is secured to the chassis, and in which suchalignmerit protects the tube (and especially the prongs thereof) duringinsertion of the prongs into the socketopenings, and more especially.just prior to such insertion, by preventing cocking or tipping of thetube which otherwise would occur if the indexing ears were respectivelydisposed above the chassis and socket and pressed downwardly intoengagement therewith, since. such locationof the tube would thenposition at least some of the tube prongs adjacent and in engagementwith either the perimetric edge portion of the socket assembly orsurrounding edge of the chassis, with the likelihood of damage occurringto the prongs.

A further object of the invention is to. provide a. socket assemblyhaving a plurality of contact-equipped openings in the socket bodythereof, and in which such openings are oriented in an irregularconfiguration such that initially all of the prongs of the tubesimultaneously engage the rear edge portions of the respective openings.and

are. cammed or guided by the contacts therein during further insertionof the prongs, toward'the forward edge portions of the openings so as toassure a good frictional and electrical'engagementof the prongs withthecontacts. Additional objects and advantages-f the-invention will becomeapparent-as the specification p-roceeds.

An embodiment of the invention is illustrated in -the accompanyingdrawing, in which- Patented Nov. 1962 FIGURE 1 is a side'view inelevation ofasocket as sembly embodying the invention, shown mounted ina chassis and with-a tube positioned in the assembly; FIG- UR'E 2 'is'aperspective view of thetube; FIGURE 3 is -a bottom plan view of the tubetaken generally along "the line 3-3-of FIGURE 2; FIGURE 4 isaperspective view of the socket assembly prior to the mounting thereof ina'chassis; FIGURE 5 is a side view iii-elevation of the socket assemblyas illustrated in FIGURE 4, and in which aportion of the structure isbroken away and is shown insection; FIGURE 6 is a top plan-view of thesocket assembly taken-along the line-=6-6 of FIGURES; FIGURE 7 is abottom-plan view of the socket assembly taken-alongthe-line 77 of'FIGURE 5;-"FIGURE 8 is an enlarged, vertical sectional viewof-acontactequipped opening in the socketyand is taken along the line 8-8 ofFIGURE 6;'-FIGURE 9 is an enlarged, vertical sectional view taken alongthe line 9.-of FIGURE 8; and FIGURE 10 is an enlarged, fragmentarysectional view illustrating one of-the'indexing ears inengagement with athegrounding element therefor.

Considering now the structural composition. in detail, -thetube'is-denoted with the --numeral 10, the socketassembly with thenumeral 11 and the chassis with the numeral 12. The specific tube shownis of the sub-miniature type, and'is equipped-with a metal envelope'13having an enlarged annular base 14 provided with depending ears 15 andi6 diametrically-oriented along the =base'14. The envelope E3 enclosesthe various elements of the tube and also serves as the tube shieldforgrounding bothelectrostatic-and electromagnetic fields. The ears. 1Sand ltiserve as indexing or polarizingelements, and in -this respect theear 16 has a greater arcuate width thanthe ear 15, and the specificreason therefor Will-b6 I 'described'hereinafter. The tube isalsoprovided with a plurality of prongs or pins connected with the tubecomponents disposed within the envelope 13, and for identification thepins are respectively designated with the numerals 17 through 21.

"The socket assembly 11- includes a socket body 22, a -mounting ring ormounting member '23 and a plurality of contacts (one for each or" theprongs 17 through 21), and such contacts are denoted as 24 through 28.In the --form shown, the socket body 22is a casting formedof insulatingmaterial, and is provided witha plurality of openings thereinrespectively receiving the contacts 24 through ZS. The contact openingsaredenoted with the numerals 29 through-33, and FiGURES 8 and 9-bestillustratethe structural features of the contacts and the positioningthereof within the openings therefor.

#Referring to FEGURES 7 through 9' in particular, it will be apparentthat each of thecontacts extends substantially from'the face 34 of thesocket body 22 to the bottom surface-35 thereofland is equipped-with atail projecting beyond the socket body that is preferably pro- -videdwith an opening'therein to facilitate connection of aconductor thereto.Each of'the-open-ings has a restricted portion adjacent the lowersurface 35 of the socket body dimensioned to permit passage of thecontact tail therethrough, and the tail may then be twisted (as seen inFIGURE 7) to prevent inadvertent withdrawal of each contact fromtheopening therefor. "Movement-of the contactdownwardly is prevented byabutment ofthe lower 7 surface 36 of the openingwith cars 37 and 38which extend laterally-from-t-he planeof the contact. It will be notedthat each ,of the contacts has -an-angularly oriented neck 39 whichinclines upwardly and towardthe rear-edge: 40 of the opening. Extendingforwardlyfrom the upper-end of-the neck-39 area pair of spaced -legs :41and 42, andsuch legs ,are equippedwith depending portions extendinggenerally along the neck139 and converge at the lower end portionsthereof to form-gripping segments 43 and 44 adapted to frictionallyengage and thereby establish a good electrical connection with a prongof the tube 11), as shown in FIGURE 8.

It will be noted that the openings 29 through 33 are disposed in anirregular pattern or are in a nonsyrnmetrical orientation with respectto the center of the socket body 22, and further with respect to thelocations of the rear edge 40 of each opening. Consequently, the sameirregular orientation is imposed on the contacts which are respectivelydisposed in the openings. The orientation is such that when the prongs17 through 21 of the tube are aligned with the respective openings andcontacts therein, movement of the tube toward the face 34 of the socketbody to insert the prongs into the contact openings effects asimultaneous engagement of each of the prongs with the angularlydisposed necks 39 of the contacts therefor, whereupon such necks areeffective to earn or guide the pins forwardly and into engagement withthe friction segments 43 and 44 of the contact legs. This arrangementnot only assures a good electrical connection of the prongs with thecontacts therefor, but protects the delicate prongs from damage bypreventing insertion thereof between the contact and rear edge 40 of thecontact opening. Such improper movement of the prongs into the openingshas been a problem heretofore and has resulted in considerable damage tothe tube prongs.

The ring or mounting member 23 is equipped with a laterally extendingannular flange 45 that may be slightly arcuate in cross section toincrease the strength thereof, and such flange is adapted to rest uponand tightly engage an upper surface of the chassis 12 when the contactassembly is inserted through an opening 46 in the chassis. The mountingmember is also provided with a pair of ears 47 and 48 depending from theflange 45 at opposed points therealong, and these cars are adapted to beturned laterally (as shown in FIGURE 1) to grip the undersurface of thechassis 12. Thus, the socket assembly is anchored to the chassis 12 inthe opening 46 thereof by engagement of the flange 45 with the uppersurface of the chassis and engagement of the laterally turned ears 47and 48 with the undersurface of the chassis. It will be apparent thatthe chassis along the opening 46 is provided with recesses 49 and tadapted to accommodate the ears 47 and 48.

The mounting member 23 is ring-shaped as indicated, and is adapted tohave the socket body 22 inserted thereinto. The socket is constrained inposition within the mounting member by engagement of the lower edge 51thereof with the upper surface of a laterally extending annular shoulder52 defined about the socket body, and by laterally turned ears 53 and 54provided by the mounting member and which engage the undersurface of theshoulder 52 (see FIGURES 4 and 5). It will be evi dent that the ears 53and 54 are located along opposite sides of the mounting member and thatthe shoulder 52 will have recesses 55 and 56 cut therein to respectivelyaccommodate the ears. It should be noted that the dimensionalrelationship of the socket body 22 and mounting member 23 is such thatthe face 34 of the body is in substantial alignment with the edgeportion of the flange 45 which engages the upper surface of the chassis12. Therefore, the face 34 of the socket body is in substantialalignment with the upper surface of the chassis 12, and in effect formsa continuation thereof. This relationship is important in that itfacilitates proper insertion of the tube prongs into the contactopenings without the occurrence of damage to the prongs.

The socket body 22 has a stepped configuration adjacent the upper endportion thereof defined by an outwardly extending annular shoulder 57and by the annular shoulder 52 which is disposed therebelow. The lowershoulder 52 is contiguous with the shoulder 57 and has a greaterdiameter so that it projects outwardly therebeyond. These two shouldershave diametrically opposed recesses therein adapted to pass the indexingcars 15 and 16 therethrough when the tube 1% is mounted in the socketassembly. Such recesses are best seen in FIGURES 4, 6- and 7 and aredesignated with the numerals 58 and 59, which respectively correspond tothe ears 15 and 16. The recesses in conjunction with the mounting member23 define channels through which the indexing ears must pass as theprongs of the tube 19 are inserted into the contact openings of thesocket body, It will be seen, with particular reference to FIGURE 5,that the upper surface of the shoulder 57 is spaced slightly below theface 34 of the socket body, and therefore an arcuate groove of isdefined between the mounting member and that portion of the socket bodydisposed above the shoulder 57. The recesses or channels 53 and 59terminate at the upper ends thereof in the groove 6%. The mountingmember is also provided with a pair of resilient or spring-likegrounding elements 61 and 62 which extend along the channels 53 and 5?in respective align-' ment therewith, and frictionally grip the indexingears 15 and 16 of the tube 10 when it is mounted in the socket, as shownin FIGURE 1.

The socket body 22 and mounting member'23 are as sembled in accordancewith the prior description by telescoping the body 22 upwardly into themounting memher until the lower edge 51 thereof abuts the upper surfaceof the shoulder 52. Thereafter, the locking cars 53 and 54 are turnedlaterally to secure the mounting member to the socket body. The thusassembled socket structure is mounted in the chassis 12 by passing theassembly downwardly through the opening 56 in the chassis until theflange of the mounting member abuts the upper surface of the chassis.Thereafter, the locking ears 47 and 48 are turned laterally to engagethe undersurface of the chassis, and the socket assembly is thenconstrained in position.

To mount the tube 10 in the socket assembly, the indexing cars 15 and16' are moved into adjacency with the face 34 of the socket body, areshifted into alignment with the groove 60 and are inserted thereinto.The tube 10 can now be rotated with respect to the socket assemblybecause the prongs 17 through 21 of the tube terminate above the loweredges of the indexing ears by an amount that spaces the prongs slightlyfrom the face of the socket body when the indexing ears are locatedwithin the groove 60 in engagement with the upper surface of the 'bodyshoulder 57. Since the indexing cars 15 and 16 have different arcuatewidths, and because the recesses or channels 58 and 5% are respectivelydimensioned so as to accommodate the ears, the tube is rotated until theindexing ears 15 and 16 respectively align with the channels 58 and 59;and when such alignment occurs, the tube can be moved downwardly so asto insert the prongs thereof in the contact openings of the socket body.

Such downward movement passes the indexing ears through the channels 58and 59 where they are resiliently engaged by the spring-like groundingelements 61 and 62 which are integral with the mounting member 23. Thus,the metal shield or envelope 13 of the tube is grounded through theindexing ears 15 and 16, resilient elements 61 and 62, and flange 45 andlocking ears 47 and 43 of the mounting member which engage the chassis12. It will be evident that the mounting member 23 is formed of metal orother conductive material, and that in the specific form shown thechassis 112 is metal. It will be apparent that the same result can beobtained in conjunction with a printed Wire board or panel if either theflange 45 or ears 47 and 48 are brought into engagement with theappropriate ground conductor of the panel.

The prongs of the tube are further protected against damage by theorientation of the openings 29 through 33 and by the configuration ofthe contact elements respectively mounted therein. The contacts preventinsertion of the prongs into openings that otherwise are definedoccasionally between the upper ends of the contacts and rear edges ofthe openings therefor, and an initial and simultaneous engagement of allof the prongs with the angularly disposed necks of the contacts occurs.Consequently, the prongs are urged forwardly toward the center of theopenings as the prongs are further inserted thereinto, which guides suchprongs away from the edges of the openings and into firm frictionalengagement with the legs of the respective contacts so that a goodelectrical connection is defined therewith.

An additional protection is afforded for the prongs of the tube by theplanar alignment of the face 34 of the .socket body with the uppersurface of the chassis 12.

More particularly, if in attempting to mount the tube in the socket thetube is not in proper alignment therewith, but rather one of theindexing cars is disposed above the face of the socket body and theother indexing ear above the chassis, downward movement of the tubetoward the socket and chassis will bring the prongs of the tube intoadjacency with the perimetric edge portion of the socket and surroundingedge portion of the chassis. If the face of the socket were orientedeither above or below the upper surface of the chassis, the tube wouldnecessarily assume a cocked or angular position for in such event thelower edge of one of the indexing ears would be located either above orbelow the edge of the other. Considering the situation where the face ofthe tube is above the chassis, such angular disposition of the tubewould bring the prongs thereof into engagement with the perimetric edgeportions of the socket, and because of the delicacy of such prongs theycould be damaged thereby. On the other hand, if the surface of thesocket body were disposed below the chassis, the angular disposition ofthe tube would bring the prongs thereof into engagement with thesurrounding edge portion of the chassis; and again, the tube prongscould be damaged. Such contingencies are avoided in the present casebecause of the planar alignment of the face 34 of the socket body withthe upper surface of the chassis since this prevents cocking of thetube. It should be noted that the tube prongs are slightly shorter thanthe indexing ears and 16', and a clearance is thereby provided betweenthe mounting ring 23 and prongs under the circumstances described.

While in the foregoing specification an embodiment of the invention hasbeen set forth in considerable detail for purposes of making an adequatedisclosure thereof, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art thatnumerous changes may be made in such details without departing from thespirit and principles of the invention.

' I claim:

1. In combination with a chassis having top and bottom surfaces and asocket-receiving opening therethrough, a socket assembly comprising asocket body of insulating material provided with a plurality ofcontact-equipped openings for receiving the pins of a tube therein, anda mounting member having a generally annular ring portion circumjacentsaid socket body and equipped with a laterally extending flange disposedin overlying engagement with the marginal edges of said top surfacesurrounding said socket-receiving opening, said socket body beingprovided with an outwardly extending shoulder in engagement with saidring portion to positively locate the upper face of said socket bodyrelative to said flange so as to provide a planar alignment of the upperface of said socket body with the top surface of said chassis, saidmounting member being provided with bendable ears interlockinglyengaging said socket body to anchor said .ring portion in engagementwith said shoulder, said mounting member being equipped with fastenerelements in engagement with the bottom surface of said chassis wherebysaid flange and fastener elements fixedly relate said socket assemblywith said chassis.

2. In combination with a chassis having top and bottom surfaces and asocket-receiving opening therethrough, a

tube socket assembly comprising a socket body of insulating materialprovided with a plurality of contactequipped openings for receiving theprongs of a tube therein, said socket body being provided intermediatethe top and bottom surfaces thereof with a laterally extending shoulder,a mounting member fixedly assembled with said socket body and beingprovided with a laterally extending flange disposed in overlyingrelation with the marginal edge portion of said top surface surroundingsaid socket-receiving opening, and fastener elements provided by saidmounting member in engagement with the bottom surface of said chassiswhereby said mounting member and socket body are constrained within saidsocket-receiving opening by said flange and fastener elements, saidmounting member being positioned in engagement with said shoulder ofsaid socket body to positively locate said socket body with respect tosaid mounting member to align the upper surface of said socket body withsaid top surface of said chassis and with the portions of said flange inoverlying engagement therewith.

3. The combination of claim 2 in which said mounting member is equippedwith locking ears in engagement with said socket body and together withsaid shoulder effects the aforesaid fixed relation of said socket bodyand mounting member.

4. In combination, a conductive chassis having top and bottom surfacesand a socket-receiving opening therethrough, and a socket assemblyadapted for use with a tube having a conductive shell equipped with apair of indexing ears, said socket assembly comprising a socket body ofinsulating material provided with a plurality of contact-equippedopenings for respectively receiving the prongs of such tube therein,said socket body having upper and lower faces, said socket body beingequipped with an outwardly extending shoulder intermediate the upper andlower faces thereof, a conductive mounting member fixedly assembled withsaid socket body and equipped with fasteners in engagement with saidchassis to secure said mounting member and socket body thereto andincluding a laterally extending flange in overlying engagement with themarginal edge portions of said top surface surrounding saidsocket-receiving opening, said socket assembly being provided with apair of channels therein for respectively receiving such indexing earsto properly orient such tube with respect to said socket body, and apair of resilient grounding elements Provided by said mounting member inrespective adjacency with said channels for frictional engagement withsuch indexing ears whereby such conductive shell is grounded to saidchassis by said grounding elements through said mounting member, theupper face of said socket body being oriented in substantial planaralignment with the top surface of said chassis and with the portions ofsaid flange in engagement therewith, said mounting member comprising aring portion adjacent said socket body and in engagement with saidshoulder to positively locate the upper face of said socket body withrespect to said flange for effecting the aforesaid alignment of theupper face of said socket body with the top surface of said chassis.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,924,036 Harrington Aug. 22, 1933 2,235,207 Eby Mar. 18, 1941 2,258,606Gorn Oct. 14, 1941 2,529,502 Kelley et a1. Nov. 14, 1950 2,590,001 FoxMar. 18, 1952 2,905,922 Tuchel Sept. 22, 1959 FOREIGN PATENTS 216,906Australia Sept. 1, 1958 580,216 Great Britain Aug. 30, 1946

